Fears over the closure of an A&E have been reignited after health bosses released details of a ’12-week public conversation’.

The consultation will focus on ‘simplifying the local urgent and emergency care system’, which campaigners claim is a thinly veiled excuse for closing either the emergency department at County Hospital, in Stafford, or the one based at Queen’s Hospital, Burton.

Stafford’s A&E is currently only open from 8am to 10pm, with emergency patients at night directed to alternative centres. This has heaped further pressure on emergency services at Royal Stoke University Hospital, which are already over-stretched.

Health campaigner Ian Syme said: “One will become an urgent care centre, I can see that being Stafford. This was all in the plans for sustainability and transformation process for the whole of Staffordshire.

“There is no doubt this will increase the pressure at University Hospital of North Midlands [Royal Stoke]. Just last month, they had a 15 per cent rise in ambulance traffic.

“However, we have Burton in the south and a closure in Burton would increase pressures in Derby, in Wolverhampton and in Walsall. We seem to be stuck between a rock and a hard place here.”

Mr Syme added that issues with nearby Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital will create even more problems if closures go ahead.

“A&E services are in a somewhat chaotic state, not just in Staffordshire but across the border in Shropshire,” added Mr Syme.

“The impact will be like a ricochet throughout the system. Like dropping a pebble in a pond. It just ripples.

“There’s also no doubt the people at county level would go up the wall if Stafford A&E was shut 24/7. There’s going to be a long-term shortage of emergency consulting staff and doctors and nurses as well.

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“Emergency services in rural areas will also be forced to into extended travel. That, of course, puts increased pressure on the West Midlands Ambulance Service and sub-acute services, especially GP services.”

Other items to be discussed as part of the ‘conversation’ include:

• Developing a new vision for health and care in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent that is focused on high quality community-based care ‘centred on the citizen’ – this will include maternity services, mental health services and planned care (surgery and outpatients) • How the local health and care system can embrace and fully utilise new technology and ensure the buildings we deliver services from are fit for purpose • Reviewing the use and function of the community hospitals in South Staffordshire • Exploring what ‘integration of health and care services’ really means for local people • Identifying additional priorities that will deliver clinical and financial stability.

Sir Neil McKay, chairman of Together We’re Better Independent, said: “We know we need to think differently, be innovative and work together to change health and care services so that Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent can become the healthiest places to live and work.

“We know this will take several years to achieve, and we need to involve local people in helping to shape that thinking.

“We will soon launch our 12-week conversation, which is an important opportunity for you to share your views and help shape the future of health and social care services. This is one of the biggest conversations ever organised across the county, involving all partners and many of our services – make your voice count.

“More information on how to take part will be shared in the coming weeks. In the meantime, we encourage people to book their place at one of our listening events today.”

The conversation’s listening events will take place in June and July.

Venues include the Riverway Centre, in Stafford, on June 6 at 7pm; Leek Cricket Club on June 12 at 1pm; Blurton Community Hub on June 13 at 10am. For full details, visit www.twbstaffsandstoke.org.uk.